This DP-203 practice question tests your understanding of design and develop data processing. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You are implementing a data pipeline using Azure Data Factory. The source is an on-premises SQL Server database. Which Azure Data Factory component is required to connect to the on-premises data source?
Azure Integration Runtime
Why wrong: Azure IR runs in the cloud and cannot access on-premises networks directly.
Managed Virtual Network Integration Runtime
Why wrong: Managed VNet IR is for secure access to Azure resources, not on-premises.
Azure Data Factory Gateway
Why wrong: While historically called Gateway, the correct term is Self-hosted Integration Runtime.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Self-hosted Integration Runtime
A self-hosted integration runtime (IR) is required to connect Azure Data Factory to on-premises SQL Server because it provides the compute environment for data movement between on-premises networks and Azure. It must be installed on a machine inside the corporate firewall, enabling secure communication via outbound HTTPS (port 443) to Azure. This is the only IR type that can access private, on-premises data sources directly.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Azure Integration Runtime
Why it's wrong here
Azure IR runs in the cloud and cannot access on-premises networks directly.
Managed Virtual Network Integration Runtime
Why it's wrong here
Managed VNet IR is for secure access to Azure resources, not on-premises.
Azure Data Factory Gateway
Why it's wrong here
While historically called Gateway, the correct term is Self-hosted Integration Runtime.
Option-by-option analysis
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The DP-203 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
Why this is wrong here
Azure IR runs in the cloud and cannot access on-premises networks directly.
Why this is wrong here
Managed VNet IR is for secure access to Azure resources, not on-premises.
Why this is wrong here
While historically called Gateway, the correct term is Self-hosted Integration Runtime.
Analysis generated from the official DP-203blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the Self-hosted Integration Runtime with the Azure Integration Runtime, not realizing that only the self-hosted variant can bridge on-premises and cloud networks, while the Azure IR is restricted to cloud-to-cloud scenarios.
Detailed technical explanation
The Self-hosted Integration Runtime uses a Windows service that registers with Azure Data Factory via a unique authentication key. It supports both data movement (copy activity) and SSIS package execution, and can be scaled out by adding more nodes for high throughput. Under the hood, it leverages the TDS protocol for SQL Server connections and encrypts data in transit using TLS 1.2.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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FAQ
Design and develop data processing — This question tests Design and develop data processing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Self-hosted Integration Runtime — A self-hosted integration runtime (IR) is required to connect Azure Data Factory to on-premises SQL Server because it provides the compute environment for data movement between on-premises networks and Azure. It must be installed on a machine inside the corporate firewall, enabling secure communication via outbound HTTPS (port 443) to Azure. This is the only IR type that can access private, on-premises data sources directly.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This DP-203 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DP-203 exam.
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